A simple figure stands watching as a stylized, bright yellow object, representing a memory, floats away from their open hand and dissolves into soft white mist, symbolizing forgetfulness.

olvido

ol-BEE-doh

nounmB1

forgetfulness?The state of being unable to remember.,oblivion?The state of being forgotten or unknown.

Also:lapse of memory?A momentary failure to recall something.,neglect?Lack of attention or care (less common).

📝 In Action

Su nombre cayó en el olvido después de que se retiró.

His name fell into oblivion after he retired.

El olvido de las llaves fue un problema menor.

The forgetfulness of the keys was a minor problem.

Pido perdón por mi olvido; lo apunté en mi agenda.

I ask for forgiveness for my lapse (of memory); I wrote it down in my planner.

Word Connections

Synonyms

descuido (carelessness)
amnesia (amnesia)

Antonyms

recuerdo (memory/recollection)
memoria (memory)

Common Collocations

caer en el olvido – to fall into oblivion/to be forgotten
echar al olvido – to forget completely/to cast aside

💡 Grammar Points

Masculine Noun

Even though many Spanish nouns ending in '-o' are masculine, remember that 'olvido' requires the masculine article: 'el olvido'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Noun vs. Verb Form

Mistake: "Using 'olvido' when you mean the verb 'olvidar': 'Yo olvido de comprar pan.'"

Correction: 'Olvido' is a noun (the act of forgetting). When you want to say 'I forget,' you use the verb form: 'Yo olvido comprar pan.' (or better, 'Se me olvida...')

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing 'I forgot'

While you can say 'Fue mi olvido,' a more natural and common way to express that you forgot something is using the verb 'olvidar' in the reflexive impersonal structure: 'Se me olvidó el paraguas' (I forgot the umbrella).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: olvido

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'olvido' as a noun?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

olvidar(to forget) - verb

olvidado(forgotten) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'olvido' the same as 'olvidar'?

No, they are different parts of speech. 'Olvido' is a noun, meaning 'forgetfulness' or 'oblivion.' 'Olvidar' is the verb, meaning 'to forget.' They are related, just like 'forgetfulness' and 'to forget' in English.